Page 75 of Claiming Her Cougar
I give a chuff of laughter.Those are words a man never wants to hear.
“I didn’t realize you’d be so big,” she continues.
That’s more like it.I nuzzle Mallory’s shoulder, and she wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me.I close my eyes and relax into the embrace, letting out a contented purr.For all the times I’ve had sex with Mallory and other women, this is the most intimate encounter I’ve ever had.
Mallory’s parents join us on the patio and ruin the mood.Mallory stiffens and steps away.If I could roar, I would.Her brothers shift back, and so do I.We walk to join the group as Daphne and Logan come from around the corner of the house, looking slightly disheveled.
Her mother smiles at the boys with their father and uncle and turns to Robert.
“I remember when you’d play with the kids like that.Those were good times,” Beth says.Turning back to her sons and grandsons, she says, “I can’t wait for you two to start shifting so we can do family runs through the woods.”
EJ, Mallory’s older nephew, shakes his head.“If Aunt Mal doesn’t go, they aren’t family runs.They’re just runs.”
“Well, EJ, you know your aunt can’t shift.She couldn’t go with us,” Robert says.
“She could ride a four-wheeler.Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten,” the younger boy, Matt, says.
Holy crap, he’s quoting that Disney movie Kennie made me watch a thousand times when we were kids.
“Exactly right, boys,” Ethan says, laying a hand on each boy’s shoulder.
“Or we just run as people,” Trevor suggests.“Your Aunt Lory is a great runner.She runs through the woods all the time.She’s probably the fastest of us on two legs.”
“Really?Will you run with us tomorrow, Aunt Mal?”Matt asks, bouncing on his toes like Tigger in his eagerness.
I hear Mallory’s shuddering inhale, like she’s trying to control her emotions.Shaking her head, she clears her throat and says, “Not tomorrow.I need to go to work.If we don’t get to it this week before you go home, we’ll do it the next time you visit, okay?”
The boys run around on their own, yelling yay and doing all the little boy stuff Logan and I did as kids.I hope to have kids running around in this yard someday.
Matt runs up to us as we reach the patio and looks at me with a cocked head.“You’re a cat?”
Beth tries to shush him, but I ignore her.
I nod.“Yep, I’m a cougar shifter.”
“Can you roar?”EJ asks, joining us.
“No, I can’t.But I can purr loudly, which lions and tigers can’t do.It depends how our throats are.Some cat species can roar, and some can purr.”
“Can you climb trees?Like really high?As your cougar.”Matt again.
“I can.One of my favorite things to do is climb this certain tree behind my house and rest on a big branch.It’s most fun in the summer when the leaves can hide me.”I look over at Logan.“Did you know my cousin is an eagle shifter?He can fly super high.”
The boys go over to ask Logan questions, which he happily answers.Robert and Beth go back in the house with Trevor.We sit down in the chairs Daphne and Mallory were in when we returned.The warmth from the patio heater is nice.
“You’re good with kids,” Mallory says, surprised.
I nod.“I like kids.”
“You do?”
“Of course.Don’t you?”We haven’t discussed much in depth about our feelings around having and raising children since she’s adamant we’re just friends with benefits.
“I do.I thought about being a teacher but became a paralegal instead.”
“If you were a teacher, what subject would you teach?”
“History.Pre-industrial revolution.European or US,” she says.
